Skipping Stones
by inverted.typo
Summary: This is going to be a compilation of multiple little one-shots and drabbles with no consistent plot! There will be different AU's too 'v' T because I don't know what else is going to go into these little fluffy Dennor stories Chap. 5: teacher!AU ALSO: don't be afraid to request prompts or ideas!
1. Musically Inclined

It happens every now and then. It's not often enough to be habitual, but not rare enough to be strange.

On a single stroke of spontaneous luck, sometimes Norway will walk into his home to be greeted by a low melody vibrating through the walls. He isn't alarmed. In fact, he even gets a bit excited.

He simply places his belongings down and takes a moment to be swept away by the old, nearly forgotten melody that resonates through his halls. He nearly thinks about just standing there listening to the beautiful sound and appreciating it for what it is; but all too soon, his fingers begin to twitch. His body becomes antsy and his plan of just enjoying the music is dismissed. He moves silently to the parlor where the case sits on its respective shelf.

Hastily, he flicks open the case and marvels at his old friend. The familiar feeling of his fiddle nestled between his shoulder and jaw is very comforting. A rare smile pulls at his lips. His fingers splay on the strings lining the neck of his instrument. The bow becomes an extension of his arm as he draws out a sweet, lengthy note. The one tone soars through the house.

The deeper melody from the living room momentarily pauses.

Denmark gives Norway a few seconds to walk to the living room and join him. When Norway enters the living room, his violin is settled back into its playing position. Denmark smiles up at him, his own cello comfortably resting against his shoulder and leg.

Without even a single word, the two run their bows against their eager instruments together. At first it just seems to be an improvised tune, almost to re-familiarize themselves with their current situation. Yet it isn't too long that a private song begins to dance in the still air of their home, crisp and alive. Denmark's deep strings run low and long, while Norway's violin jitters a quicker tune.

Denmark's heel starts to tap the floor to the rhythm, his hand sliding up and down the neck of his cello and finger pads pressed firmly against the wires. His mouth is quiet, his brows furrowed in concentration. He's positive his heart beat is in synch with his music. His arm elegantly bends to allow his notes to gently moan out from within the wooden confines of the cello, a strong sensation rushing through his system as he plays.

Norway's fingers fly across the neck of his violin, his arm fluidly swaying to allow the bow complete control over his movements. He resists the urge to sway to the music as long as he can, but eventually his feet are taking him on a small journey around the living room, sliding and skipping to the beat.

It's an interesting tune they play together. It's fast, but not too fast. It isn't sad, nor is it overbearing with joy. It's a song that echoes down the long corridor of history, settling for the theme of contentment.

The song coils around the two tightly, holding them in a warm, welcoming embrace. The song is old as the wind that blows across their beaches, but somehow it's still just as alive as when they played it by the fire, celebrating a successful hunt in the woods. Somehow, its liveliness manages to pulse a strong sense of nostalgia through their heart of hearts.

Norway can almost feel the grass beneath his feet, the warmth glowing from the pit. He can hear the distant waves crashing against his rocky shore. He can picture Denmark's face watching him as they celebrate.

His eyes were wide and young, his hands clapping to the melody Mama Scandinavia had taught Norway to play so long ago. Denmark's shoulders had been cloaked in a mass of thick fur, his tunic dirty from exploring the land all day long. He remembers being all curled up in a mass of animal skins by the hearth in front of the longhouse, snuggling together to keep warm, all the while that melody playing in the back of their minds.

Lost in the deep depths of the music, Norway still distantly heard Denmark's light voice say, "Play it again, Norge! Play it again!"

Another smile contagiously spread across Norway's lips as he continued to dance across the living room.

It wasn't until a few decades later that Denmark decided to pick up an instrument and begin to play with Norge on those nights by the fire. When he did, he had wondered why he hadn't done it earlier. Why hadn't he allowed himself to be wrapped up in the strong ribbon of an instrument?

It's always such a joy to see Norway so engrossed in something Denmark could understand. It was even better when he too could participate in it.

So when he hauls his cello against his body, and Norway is drawn by the ancient melody, his heart swells with a unique happiness nothing else in this universe could cause.

Just him, his cello and Norway. That's all Denmark thinks he needs to be happy.

They play still, their minds melting into a pool of memories. The two aged countries finally draw out a final note, dragging it out from their strings as long as they can. They let the music settle down like dust before opening their eyes.

Norway's large, velvety eyes gaze at Denmark fondly, his cheeks pink. Denmark has a quirked smile lifting the side of his mouth. He shifts a bit and sets down his cello, opening his arms.

The latter takes a moment before setting his own violin on the couch and moving over. He seats himself in Denmark's lap and hesitantly accepts his crushing hug. Denmark buries his face into Norway's shoulder as he feels Norway's arms wrap around his neck.

Norway nuzzles him, sighing.

Sometimes he forgets how peaceful Denmark has become. He has to remember that behind all that annoyingly obnoxious loudness that bounces off all four corners of the globe, he's simply a happy, optimistic man. He kind of has to remind himself that in these modern times, he and Denmark are no longer vicious warriors fending for themselves.

When did that even come to be? It's hard for Norway to remember. He wonders if Denmark feels the same way.

Denmark pulls back after a few comfortable moments.

He slides his hand up and entwines Norway's fingers with his own. Norway notices a soft edge to Denmark's crystal eyes. Some time ago, those eyes were fiery and sharp, glinting with an itching for battle and domination. Now, they're loving and truly protective, soft and gentle.

Norway briefly wonders if his own eyes have changed. Surely they have. Perhaps they've grown warmer, more understanding and patient. He can't be sure though.

"Thank you," Norway whispers, breaking the long silence.

"Thank _you_," Denmark responds.

A flutter of kisses peppers Norway's cheeks and lips. He sputters a bit but doesn't make any move to resist them. Eventually the two get up and go to the kitchen for their long overdue dinner.

Their instruments aren't even glanced at for another month.

* * *

><p><strong>So this is Chapter 1 of an ongoing fluff series I think I'll have for these two 'v'<strong>

**Not all of them will be in the canon-verse I don't think. It's just a place for me to dump drabbles and oneshots into the world without having to create a brand new story for each one! :D **

**Tell me if you like the idea or not! Thanks so much for reading! **


	2. Cat's Cradle

It was adorable. Just plain adorable. In fact, Dencat could even conclude that it was sickeningly adorable. There they were, Norcat and Icecat, squished together in Icecat's cramped basket of flowers. The two fluffy kitties were taking their daily nap in the sun, sometimes their tails twitching every now and then. The older of the two cats in the basket had his body wrapped around the tinier splotch of a kitten, purring contently as he slept. The tinier of the two often readjusted himself against his older brother, trying to keep comfy in the fluffiness that was Norcat's thick and heat-keeping fur. Icecat was a bit too young to properly "snore", so instead, a tiny lingering squeak leaked from his nose as he exhaled.

Norcat had actually just groomed himself about an hour ago, so his coat was now a shining, pearlescent white. Dencat admired that characteristic immensely, seeing as he found it difficult to keep himself clean… He groomed sure, but for some reason _his_ long hair could not be kept nearly as neatly as his beloved Nor's.

Dencat found himself stalking up on the basket, his tail flicking impatiently as his bright blue eyes focused on the sleeping Norcat. Ugh. Seeing such an incredibly, unbelievably, unrealistically adorable sight had its perks, but gosh! Dencat just wanted to pounce on them and cuddle and lick them to death! It was an unbelievable task for Dencat to keep his self-control in check, allowing the two to sleep. Norcat had scolded Dencat hundreds of times to keep his distance when he and Ice were napping. Breaking this very strict rule resulted in quite a few scratch marks across the face.

But Dencat decided in the end it was worth it, because truthfully, Norcat was just too damn irresistible.

Dencat's hindquarters were highly arched in the air, his eagerness steadily rising like the thermometer on a scolding hot day. For a brief second, his mind was flashing with past warnings from Nor, Fin and Berwald, _to not wake up any cat who was napping_. These warnings were effortlessly pushed aside.

The large, frazzled cat leapt into the air, pouncing high and landing straight in the middle of the basket. Paper flowers exploded from the woven bowl, a loud chorus of hisses and screeching erupting from the mess of cats. Claws began to swipe at anything in the air, and Dencat's laughs cut through all the noise.

The basket toppled over, spewing the cats out, causing them to roll across the floor. Icecat tumbled the furthest, the little lightweight floofin.

The older cats were mangled in with each other, Norway hissing still.

"You idiotic Dane! What are you doing!" he batted at the Dane mercilessly.

"I'm so sorry, Nor! I couldn't resist!" Dencat rolled over atop Norcat, keeping his paws from scratching out his eyeballs. Norcat's eyes were fiery and unsurprisingly, very angry.

"You can never resist, fool! Ice and I were perfectly happy napping! Then you always have to come and ruin it! Why can't you keep your paws to yourself?" he spat, "What if you had accidentally hurt Ice! He's still very young!"

Dencat cocked his head, his fur swishing to the movement. He glanced up at little Icecat, wobbling as he regained his balance, a bit discombobulated to say the least. He looked back down at Nor. So…Nor really _didn't_ like it when…when he woke him up…? Surely…surely a little part of him liked being cuddled by Dencat or…

Suddenly, Dencat began to experience a very odd feeling in his chest. His ears immediately pressed down flat against his head, and he began to back off of Nor slowly. He kept his paws close to himself and he whimpered slightly. His usually perky tail tucked itself neatly against his back legs.

He then realized what feeling was oozing out of his heart, guilt and sadness. He didn't mean to make Nor so unhappy! Honest! He thought Nor liked to play like that, even a little bit. But even Dencat can be wrong.

"I…I'm sorry, Nor… I didn't…I mean…"

Norcat didn't even give him a second glance before swiftly making his way over to Icecat and picking up the kitten in his mouth. He mumbled something to Ice, who in response nodded.

Dencat's large eyes quivered a bit, trying to figure out how to fix his mistake. Norcat was glaring at him, unamused and definitely displeased. Dencat glanced around.

He decided then to slowly get up, his paw scratching at the upturned basket. He managed somehow to readjust it against his face, propping it on his nose to push it right side up. Norcat icily watched Dencat go about the room and begin to pick up each paper flower into his mouth, and traveling back to the basket to deposit them. He didn't say anything, and continued his self-assigned task until it was complete. The basket was back in order, and Dencat backed away from it a few feet.

"I'll let ya sleep now, and-and I won't bother ya! Ever!" Dencat promised, "and I'll go huntin'! I'll go get ya fresh fish from the beach!"

The obnoxious cat motioned to where the beach was just about a mile away from their home. Norcat didn't reply. The larger cat nodded a bit and swallowed, "Ah…I…I'll see ya later then?"

He began to depart.

"Wait."

Almost too quickly, Dencat spun around, ears suddenly alert and his tail straight up. Norcat had placed Ice in the basket, and was now walking towards his ridiculous Dane. He nuzzled him lightly.

"…I just don't want you to be so careless because Ice _could_ have gotten hurt. And even you are really annoying waking us up, that doesn't mean we don't like napping with you, Anko…" Norcat looked up, his expression cool.

He seemed a bit nervous, but he hesitantly let out a purr. Norcat pushed up against Dencat a bit firmer, giving him a proper nudge and a lick on the cheek.

"You can take a nap with us today, Anko. Then you can get us our fish."

Dencat's heart was practically bursting out of his rib cage. He let out a very satisfied and thundering purr, nuzzling and licking Norcat just as he had wanted to from the beginning. He was astonished to see that Norcat didn't just _accept_ his affection, but _returned_ it too! What a treat! And he gets to take a nap with Ice and Nor!

Dencat followed Norcat to the basket where little Ice was already half asleep. It took a few minutes of adjusting the three cats in the basket, but it was accomplished eventually. Norcat ended up pressed against Dencat's body, the little one resting against Nor.

The three were very warm and cozy, and their nap lasted a very long time. It wasn't until very late in the night was Dencat woken up by another affectionate ick and nudge, only to be sent off to fetch the promised fish

* * *

><p><strong>Nekotalia is very fucking important, ok. Like I cannot stress floofy cats enough<strong>


	3. Flying Home

I hadn't seen him in nearly two whole weeks. That was already two too many to be without him. I had been so lonely those past couple of weeks, you know. Sure he and I texted and called whenever life allowed us to, but it wasn't nearly the same as surrounding him in my embrace, nuzzling his silky hair with my nose and kissing his tenderly soft lips. Those damn words in the long string of chat bubbles were only a representing my beloved Lukas, since he himself was not here. Not to say that I wasn't _there_ either. I was gone just as much as he was.

You see, both of our work schedules had been overwhelmingly hectic. He would be scheduled to fly all the way to the States, where he'd cycle another small trip within those borders before heading back to Europe. He had made about two overseas trips within those two weeks.

Then there was me, who flew down to Italy, then back to Denmark, then over to Istanbul barely twenty four hours later. It was a crunched flight schedule that really had me on edge. I'm just grateful I didn't have to deal with five hour jetlag… My poor lovely Lukas.

He would be at home if I were away, and it seems fate would have Lukas be away when I was home. Or, even worse, we were both away and out of country.

Despite all the (rushed) international traveling, being pilots definitely had its down side.

But not for long. It just so happened Lukas and I were about able to have about a weekend's worth of time together after that terrible two week separation.

I was nestled comfortably in my hotel room, awaiting the six hours later when I'd fly back to the airport in Copenhagen. My phone was cradled in the palms of my hands, a familiar face staring at me through the tiny screen.

"Only a few more hours, Lukas," I smiled, exasperating a sigh, "Twelve hours tops I'd say."

Lukas hummed, pushing some of his hair behind his ear.

"Depends on if you get delayed," he reasoned.

I rolled my eyes.

"Fuck delays. It's summer, and Moscow is only about three hours away."

"How annoying. Why couldn't you have been scheduled to fly to Berlin or something? It's so much closer…"

"Says the one who flies overseas half the time. Speaking of, how was your flight? Where did you have to go this last time?"

Lukas took a sip of his drink and thought for a moment. I laughed lightly when Lukas's image began to blur significantly due to a pink cat nose pressing against the camera.

"_Hva faen…_" Lukas muttered, pushing the cat out of the way. He shook his head.

"Hm…Oh. I flew to Denver. It was a very tiring flight. Eleven hours," he groaned.

I inhaled sharply, biting my lip.

"Oh. Damn. That sucks. At least we don't do too many Asia flights," I shrugged.

He nodded in agreement. My heart nearly skipped a beat when I saw a shy of a smile grace Lukas's porcelain face. His wide eyes stared at me through the camera.

"You better get to sleep, idiot."

I laughed fully. He was right. I was tired. But being tired was a small price to pay for being able to speak to Lukas just a bit longer.

"But I wanna keep talking to you!"

"Dumbass…you'll see me tomorrow, right? Besides, it's no good talking to you tired. You sound even more annoying when you yawn."

I began to protest but was soon cut off by a long yawn. I mumbled. Dammit.

"Idiot."

"Alright, alright. I'll go to bed," I snuggled down into my covers and continued to stare at Lukas's gorgeous face.

He nodded his approval.

"Goodnight, Mathias."

"Night, Lukas. _Elsker dig_."

"_Elsker deg._"

The screen clicked off. I sighed. Before turning off the bedside lamp, I thoroughly examined my silver wedding band. It was really quite simple. A thick band of titanium with old Norse designs etching the surface. I slid it off and read the engraving on the inside to myself before reading the date. I slid the band back onto my finger and turned off the light, now being able to sleep.

* * *

><p>Thankfully I wasn't delayed, and everything went almost suspiciously smooth. We landed on time, and the passengers boarded out of the plane. After docking and retiring myself, I impatiently ran to my car, scrambling for my keys along the way.<p>

Needless to say it's an interesting little transitional adjustment from flying a large commercial airplane to a small, compact little Audi. I'd much rather ride my bike to the airport and back, but the luggage and the fact I'd have to leave my bike for a few days at a time made it a bit more inconvenient for me.

I hurriedly drove home to my happy little neighborhood. I couldn't wait to go home…

My face nearly split in half when I saw my yellow house, knowing exactly who was inside waiting for me. I had actually taken the liberty of stopping by the local florists' and gotten a fresh bouquet of purple tulips. There was a small box of chocolates to match.

Pulling up to the curb, I hopped out of my car, forgetting my luggage all together and instead reaching for the gifts for my wonderful husband.

I nearly sprang up the few steps to my home. The door was already opening.

Ah! There he was! My perfect Lukas, in the doorway of our home in one of my own sweaters! It was far too big for him, so he had to scrunch up the sleeves in order to do anything with his hands. He had a gentle smile on his face and despite his cool expression, I just knew he was very happy to see me.

I flung my arms around him and began kissing his face all over. He let out a noise and we fell onto the carpet below. He cursed a bit and struggled against my kissing attacks, but to no avail.

"Dammit, Mathias!" he blubbered.

I couldn't help but keep kissing him and laughing and squeezing him tight.

He finally managed to slow me down by pressing a firm kiss to my lips. I immediately stalled, relaxing my grasp so I could concentrate on kissing back. Oh thank the heavens for this amazing man I had missed so much! Our kiss was slow and loving, tender and sweet.

I pulled back to breathe. He looked up at me, his hair a bit frazzled. He touched my cheek and tsked.

"Messy, messy, Dane," he chastised lightly, leaning up to kiss my lips one more time.

I hummed in acknowledgement.

"Missed you."

"Missed you too."

"I bought you flowers and chocolate," I said, sitting up and presenting the gifts.

He took the tulips and smelled the slightly crushed bouquet before setting them aside. He didn't even touch the chocolates before hauling me up only to be drag us into our bedroom. We didn't pick up the flowers or chocolates from the floor until much later that night.

* * *

><p><strong>More plotless fluff that doesn't even ajsdfklasdfjkl Can you even imagine how attractive these two would be as pilots?! Jesus christ<strong>


	4. Of Princes and Promises (aka: mermaids)

Lukas gently closed the doors of his room, sighing as they latched shut. He let his head rest against the coral, mumbling to himself. It took a second for him to decide to move again. When he mustered up enough motivation _to_ move, he slid off his crown and gently set it on its respective pedestal. He twirled around to face the rest of his room.

Lukas instantly scowled, his eyes narrowing in disgust.

Well…_that_ wasn't supposed to be there.

"Lukas!" Mathias cooed, arms outstretched for a hug.

The fool was sitting himself on Lukas's bed, his large axe strapped to his back. His arms were plated by steel bracelets, and yet another was coiled at the bottom of his tail. His eyes were just as blue as the sea they lived in, bright and glistening with happiness.

Who the hell let _that_ into Lukas's room?

Lukas didn't move, his cold disdainful glare focused on that idiot's grinning face.

"What are you doing here?" Lukas spat.

"I'm here to give you a hug, of course!"

Mathias's large red tail pushed him closer to Lukas, his caudal fin flicking impatiently. Two strong arms embraced Lukas firmly, lips pressing against his cheek. Lukas didn't move at first, only to submit to the hug and wrap his arms around his companion. His head fell into the crook of Mathias's neck, and he breathed in an even deeper sigh.

Mathias smiled to himself as he felt his little Lukas relax in his embrace. He gazed down at Lukas and all his beauty. Lukas's tail was often polished, as were the royal standards, so those multitudes of purples and deep blues were always glistening against the sunrays. There were small patterns that weaved down his tail, and Mathias often found himself tracing them. They always seemed to change. It was quite a mystery to the knight.

In fact, Lukas himself was a mystery sometimes. Mathias never knew for sure what was going on in his beloved's mind. But he lived to find out.

Lukas pulled away slightly, staring up at the bigger of the two.

"Why weren't you at the ceremony?"

"Wasn't assigned to guard close. Had to keep a look out for ships."

The Prince rolled his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Father is so paranoid…"

Mathias hummed and nuzzled Lukas gently, "Is that so?"

The latter made a move to shake Mathias off, but was surprised when Mathias was the one to fully pull away.

"You know what? Let's race!"

Lukas blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"Race! To The Wreckages!"

Mathias beamed, taking Lukas's hands. He began pulling him towards the doors. Lukas was confused and resisted being yanked around.

"Mathias what are you—"

"Let's race!"

And with that, Mathias bust through the door, leaving a flurry of bubbles to tickle Lukas's face. Lukas sputtered a bit, pushing away all those damn bubbles before bursting through the doors. His head flicked left and right before catching a flit of Mathias's fin zip behind a corner.

It was on.

"_Mathias!_"

He dove through the winding halls, barely catching up with his competitor. Mathias laughed as they sliced through the water and out of the palace doors. Guards and servants all squeaked with surprise as they watched their fair Prince chase down one of the head knights.

Now that they were outside of those damn coral corridors, they could _really_ pick up the speed. Mathias shot upwards, high above their watery city. He looked down and laughed, seeing a stream of bubbles rocketing his way.

His heart swelled as Lukas approached. Lukas was smiling.

If it weren't for the fact they were racing, Mathias wouldn't have dared to move, wanting to witness that glorious expression even just a second longer. But you can't have everything in life, so he raced on ahead.

"Why are you so slow, Lukas? Have your Prince-y duties slowed you down?"

Mathias barreled on ahead, arms outstretched and fins up and ready to make any last minute directional adjustments. He checked behind himself frequently, seeing Lukas was still just a hair behind him.

Lukas smirked as he kicked it into high gear. No way was he letting this barnacle make it to The Wreckages before himself!

The young Prince torpedoed past Mathias, his lithe body cutting perfectly through the water. Mathias upped his own speed as well.

They were neck and neck, glancing at each other periodically, to see just how close they were to being first. A single fin could make all the difference.

The pair laughed as they zigzagged through kelp forests, dipped and dove through shallow trenches, corkscrewed and wove their way through the caves.

It wasn't long until the ghostly silhouettes of The Wreckages came into view.

Lukas was just barely ahead, his fists puncturing the water and his tail growing tired. He breathed heavily as they zoned in.

"Eat my bubbles—_waaugh!_"

Mathias snatched him from behind. They tumbled together into The Wreckages, Mathias laughing and Lukas clinging to him for dear life as the world around them spun. The two slowed, finding themselves sinking into a soft sand bed up against one of the bottoms of a dilapidated ship.

Both were panting and out of breath.

Lukas leaned against Mathias, a hint of a smile still on his lips. Mathias looked up towards the surface, closing his eyes.

They didn't speak for quite a few minutes. Instead they enjoyed the silence of the vast ocean and the bits of sun that penetrated through the depths of their home. They watched as their fellow fish swam by, then off into the blueness.

"…We haven't raced since we were children," Mathias pointed out.

Lukas nodded.

"Why do you think that is?"

Mathias moved his arm as Lukas shifted even closer, slithering into his lap. He took a quick glance at the numerous scars decorating Mathias's torso.

"Because a dumb idiot like you had to become one of the best knights in the Northern Kingdom, and you had to leave for three years to fight the Southerners," Lukas stopped, a wave of lonesome memories flashing in his mind, "And I had to take up full responsibility of the next heir. It's time consuming having to help make so many important decisions for my kingdom you know."

Mathias nodded in silent agreement.

The Prince looked up at his Knight and cupped his face.

"You're leaving again, soon, aren't you?"

"…Yes."

"…Are you still going to keep your promise to me?"

The Knight's eyes widened in disbelief, sitting up straighter. His fin, punctured with rips and holes, brushed against Lukas's. Lukas squeaked as Mathias pulled him further onto his lap, holding his hips firmly.

"Of course I'm going to keep my promise to you. Why wouldn't I? What on earth would make me break it?"

Lukas was silent as Mathias kissed his lips.

"I love you. You know that, right? And there's no way that I would ever break my promise to you, okay? No matter what happens…"

That answer seemed to regain Lukas's confidence on the matter, as he simply nodded his head. He leaned up and kissed Mathias once more, arms sliding around his shoulders. The two kissed gently, Mathias running his hand down the smooth scales of Lukas's tail. Lukas held him tight, pressing himself against his lover.

They pulled away only for breath.

The pair left when the waters began to become inky and dark; and as they were leaving hand in hand, Lukas glanced back at The Wreckages, then at his beloved Knight, knowing that indeed, the promise would always be fulfilled.

* * *

><p>Two young mermen tackled each other into the sand, laughing. The red-tailed boy managed to pin down the other for nearly ten seconds.<p>

"I win! I win!"

"Yeah, yeah! Now get off!"

The smaller one managed to haul the heavier of the two off of himself. He floated upwards a bit and brushed off the sand and muck that had stuck to his tail.

"Mathias…I just got polished! Now I'm all dirty again!" the smaller groaned, lifting his tail to make sure the back was just as spotless as the front.

"You'll be fine! It's not like you don't ever get it polished or something," the other one waved his hand dismissingly.

Lukas looked at his friend suspiciously before rolling his eyes, "whatever."

They settled down against the side of an old boat, shoulders pressed together, hands clasped.

"…You're leaving tomorrow aren't you?"

"I am."

"For how long?"

"Father says perhaps a migration year."

Lukas frowned and tucked his tail against himself. The young Prince huffed.

"…Y…you're an idiot. You're gonna come back, right?"

"Well duh—"

"No! You have to promise me!"

Mathias jumped a bit at the sudden burst from his usually quiet friend. Lukas's cheeks were puffed out and red, much redder than he'd ever seen them before.

"Promise me you'll come back, you dumb fish!"

The red-tailed boy's expression softened.

"I promise! I'll always come back. No matter where I go, no matter how long I'll be gone, I'll always come back."

Mathias leaned down and pecked Lukas on the head. Lukas sniffled and squeezed Mathias tight. He had never been away from Mathias before…and soon…

"I promise, Lukas. I'll always come back."

* * *

><p><strong>I had a request for a mermaid!au <strong>**AND I AM DIGGING IT SO MUCH. I might just write more! HHH **

**I have so many headcanons and ideas for this AU it's overwhelming... **

**Please enjoy! **

**Comments are much appreciated 3 **

**Also: they're probably about 10-13 years old in the flashback since it's kind of vague**


	5. Teaching To Be Proper

The halls were barren and empty, only a few people were left power-walking here and there to hurriedly finish up any leftover work. I tucked away a few loose leafed papers into a folder before logging off of my computer. I had actually finished all of my paperwork nearly an hour after the bell had rung, I had just used the extra time to get caught up on the schedule… I gathered up my satchel and coat before heading down the long corridor. The walk to the science department from the English department was just a bit lengthy, but it didn't take too much time.

Many of the classroom's lights were off, their doors locked. I passed them, scanning the tiny windows just to double check. I eventually rounded the corner to the department's office where the light was still on. I peeked in. A single man sat hunched over a spread of papers, his pen tapping the desk as he periodically sifted through the mass of the stuff.

I slowly opened the office door, trying to mute the click of the lock. I managed to make my way to my co-worker before literally plopping myself onto his desk.

"You're staying here late," I deadpanned.

Mathias jumped and squeaked, his pen flying from his hand.

"Lukas!"

"That's Mr. Bondevik to you," I corrected, glancing down at the papers.

"Well _excuse me_, Mr. _Bondevik_."

I picked up one of the sheets and studied it for a moment. I squinted my eyes as I tried to understand the chicken scratch that was penmanship. All the letters were jumbled together, and their sizes varied significantly word-to-word. I could barely read three words of the response on the worksheet before giving up. Disgusted, I let the paper fall from my hand.

"How do you allow your students to write so sloppily, Køhler? I'd have them re-do the assignment completely," I muttered in disapproval.

The obnoxious science teacher smiled as he reorganized the stack and laughed lightly. He thumbed through a few other pages, counting I'm assuming, before slapping a clip on them and pushing them to the side.

"Well…any hope for Alfred is long overdue, so a lot of the time I just have to assume he only kind of knows what he's talking about and average out the points," he grinned, leaning back in his chair.

He folded his hands in his lap and glanced at me.

"Why aren't you at home? It's nearly six…" Mathias glanced at his watch.

I huffed and crossed my arms, my cheeks heating up more than I'd ever like them to… I adjusted myself by straightening my posture.

"Can't a man wait for his husband?"

"Not when he has his own car to drive home with."

I rolled my eyes. Sometimes I don't think he considers how considerate I actually decide to be. Mathias stood up and leaned down to kiss me. My cheeks bloomed scarlet red. At first I was ready to surrender to his lovely kiss, but then I remembered where we were. I quickly pushed him away, playfully smacking his cheek.

"We're still at work! What if someone sees, you oaf!" I hissed, checking the window and door to make sure, indeed, no one had seen us.

Mathias pouted, "Like there's anyone else here this time of night! And if there were, there'd be no need for them to come to the science hall."

I sighed and stood up, beginning to head for the door.

"Come on, let's go home. It's been a long day, and we have plenty of counter space so I don't know _why_ you just didn't work from home," I lightly chastised.

Mathias shrugged and leaned down to kiss my cheek, slipping our hands together. I tensed, glancing down at our currently ring-less hands. I felt Mathias give my hand a squeeze. If some other teacher was still here, and they managed to see us together…

Teachers are sometimes much worse than students when it comes to gossip; trust me, I know. Suspicions would be raised, questions would be dropped on us like rain, and our work relationship would have to be adjusted to better conceal it. That idea made me anxious and nervous. I didn't want the whole damn school to know that Mathias and I were married, not because it was against the rules, but because it was private and personal.

I didn't want students to ask about what Mathias was like at home, and vice versa. I didn't want to be seen differently by my co-workers and students than what I was being treated then. I didn't want my work and home life to be watered together by being too involved in both at the same time… We just…we wanted to keep our marriage completely segregated from work. It would have just been too much to openly juggle both.

I must have been shaking again, because I suddenly felt Mathias stop and hold me by my shoulders. I looked up at his wide eyes.

"Lukas, honey…" Mathias said sweetly, "It's okay. It's okay. We don't have to hold hands. We can wait until we're home."

His thumb gently dug into my shoulder as a small massage of comfort and reassurance. I didn't say anything, only reaching up to reclaim his hand in mine.

"N-No…it's okay…a walk to the parking lot isn't far…"

He looked at me to double check I was sure. I nodded.

We continued to the parking lot, separating only to climb into our own vehicles. I waited until Mathias's truck sped out of the lot before following.

Once we were inside the safe walls of our home, I grabbed Mathias and drug him to our bedroom, kissing him, holding him, loving him. He laughed as we toppled over each other, falling onto the bed. We quickly disappeared into the sheets.

That night before going to sleep, both Mathias and I made sure to slide our wedding bands on.

* * *

><p><strong>Teacher!AU because I can and it makes me really happy hahahaha. <strong>

**Thanks so much for reading! 3**


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